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Did you know Alcoholics Anonymous has more than 115,000 groups worldwide?
AA meetings are a platform where people dealing with alcoholism meet and talk about their addiction. By watching others deal with theirs, you gain skills that will help you achieve sobriety.
Going to one for the first time may be scary, and most people are skeptical about what happens in an AA meeting.
However, it may not be as portrayed in movies where you introduce yourself, label yourself an alcoholic, and get group hugs.
Read on for ways in which you can prepare for your first meeting.
Find a Meeting
Unless the court has assigned you a specific group, you ought to find one. There are several ways to find a meeting depending on your needs.
You can visit the Alcoholics Anonymous website, ask anyone you might know in recovery, or call an AA intergroup office.
Anyone can go to an AA meeting. There are open meetings that you can attend to feed your curiosity and answer questions you may have.
Closed meetings are for those that have decided they have an alcohol or drug problem and need help. It’s advisable to find beginner or newcomer AA meetings since they are most suitable for you.
Do Your Research
Before going to an AA meeting, you should find out more about the structure of AA, how it works, meeting places, and times.
This measure will give you an upper hand and prepare you for what to expect on the first day. There are different types of meetings following the AA 12 steps. Every session focuses on one of these steps.
There are other meetings, such as speaker meetings which are less participatory, and only one person will talk most of the time.
Big book meetings involve reading the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous and discussing it. Here, volunteers take turns reading pages of the book, sparking discussion.
Alcoholics anonymous meetings last one hour, so it’s best to arrive early and get comfortable when it starts.
What To Expect
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are primarily held in public halls connected to a community center or church. This is not because they are religious-based but because of their availability.
There may be people outside conversing in groups or even making coffee. When the meeting starts, people sit in a semicircle in the middle of the room. However, there are no strict rules as to where you should sit.
The chairperson for that particular day stands in the middle and officiates the beginning of the meeting.
You don’t have to introduce yourself on the first day or share anything; you can just watch and listen. There are no demands to come back after your first time. It’s entirely up to you.
Preparing For Your First AA Meeting
Many people have no idea what to expect from their first AA meeting. Movies and pop culture have played a considerable role in misrepresenting these meetings.
Regardless of whether you’ve been ordered to attend these meetings by the court or it’s a personal decision, you need to prepare.
Remember that everyone in that room has had the first day. There’s no pressure to participate or share if you don’t want to.
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